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Kyle Need

Kyle, a former Navy rescue swimmer, saved an American civilian who was shipwrecked during a horrendous storm in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The pilot leading the rescue mission that night, Commander F. Byron Ogden, remembered the conditions as “horrific,” with “snow, sleet, hail, and winds gusting to 50 knots.” A seasoned helicopter pilot with more than 3,500 hours of flight-time, Ogden called the flight a “harrowing” and “dramatic” experience: “That night was, without a doubt, the most severe weather I had ever experienced while flying my helicopter.” Yet, Kyle descended into the stormy water to save the shipwrecked sailor. Kyle, Cmdr. Ogden said, “selflessly put himself in harm’s way to save another man’s life.” The Navy later honored Kyle with a Navy-Marine Corps Medal, the Navy’s second-highest medal for heroism in non-combat situations.

Kyle currently lives in Jacksonville, Florida, with his wife Christa and their two dogs. He left the Navy after nine years of service, and he now works as a civilian MH-60R helicopter simulator instructor on Naval Station Mayport. Kyle and his wife love to travel as much as possible and are huge University of Florida fans. He also has fun playing drums, staying active, and enjoying the outdoors.